Business touches on nearly every aspect of modern society, and so studying business is useful for both future careers and a student’s personal life, as well as being actually very interesting to study. Business Studies is one of the most popular fields of study at universities worldwide, and there are very good reasons for this.
Business students are in high demand with employers and are some of the most employable. Students will have a wide variety of possible career options open to them upon graduation.
Business is both a theoretical and a practical discipline, meaning that students not only gain a great range of knowledge, but also learn the skills needed to apply this knowledge to real life settings, again assisting with employability.
INDUSTRY LINKS/VISITS
The department has links with a number of local companies including Tobermore Concrete, Tayto, Ditty’s & Sperrin Switchgear.
A-LEVEL
Students have a choice of studying a General A level or a Level 3 Extended Certificate in Applied Business.
General A-Level
AS Unit 1 – Introduction to Business
AS Unit 2 – Growing the Business
A2 Unit 1 – Strategic Decision Making
A2 Unit 2 – The Competitive Business Environment
Assessment – 100% Examination based
Level 3 Extended certificate in applied business
In year 13 the following units are taken:
| AS Unit 1- Financial Planning and Analysis | 1hr 30 mins examination |
| AS Unit 2- Business Dynamics | Internally Assessed Assignment |
| AS Unit3-Entrepreneurial Opportunities | Externally Assessed Assignment |
In year 14 the following units are taken:
| A2 Unit 4- Managing and Leading people | 1hr 30 mins exam |
| A2 Unit 5- Developing a Business proposal | Internally Assessed Assignment |
| A2 Unit 8- Marketing Communications | Internally Assessed Assignment |
GCSE LEVEL
General
There are seven main topics in GCSE Business Studies which will be examined through the use of case studies, investigations and simulations.
Unit 1 Starting a Business- creating a business, marketing and business operations
Unit 2 Developing a Business- human resources, business growth and finance
Unit3 Planning a Business(synoptic)-business plan – Controlled Assessment
Level of Entry:
There is only one Tier of entry:
Grades available A* – G
Assessment Arrangements:
2 written papers
| Unit 1 Starting a Business | 1 hour 30 minutes 40% of overall marks |
| Unit 2 Developing a Business | 1 hour 30 minutes 40% of overall marks |
| Unit 3 Planning a Business | Controlled Assessment 20% of overall marks |
Extra Curricular
Young Enterprise encourages learning by doing and has as its slogan – ‘start something’. In the Rainey we have been starting things for almost 20 years with pupils in Lower Sixth given the opportunity to run their own business.
Junior Quiz League is an opportunity for Key Stage 3 pupils to enter a team and test their General Knowledge over a number of weeks to get their names on the shield presented each year. Sixth Form pupils can engage in student leadership by helping to organise and run the quiz each week.